Cork secure final clash with Limerick in Munster SHC after comfortable win over Clare

Cork and Limerick will contest a Munster final for the first time since 1992 after the Rebels outgunned Clare at the Gaelic Grounds today.

Davy Fitzgerald's side carried the tag of favourites into the game having recorded two victories over Cork in the League as well as powering past Waterford in the opening round, but they were swamped in the second half, and outscored by 0-15 to 0-4.

Cork's hand was weakened by injuries to Paudie O'Sullivan and Lorcan McLoughlin, while captain Pa Cronin was held in reserve having only recently been released from hospital after a bout of pneumonia.

Cronin was introduced with eight minutes remaining and scored a rousing point but by then Cork were virtually assured of reaching their first Munster final appearance since 2010, as the Clare challenge wilted.

Playing with a reasonably stiff breeze in the first half, Clare only carried a three-point lead (0-11 to 0-8) to the dressing room at half-time, not quite the cushion that they would have wanted having to face the elements in the second half.

The Banner could have had a couple of goals in the opening exchanges as Darach Honan posed numerous problems for Stephen McDonnell, and Tony Kelly drew a smart save from Anthony Nash from a 20-metre free, while the otherwise excellent Padraic Collins flashed a shot wide.

They were left to rue their wastefulness on the resumption as Cork scored eight points without reply to turn the deficit into a five-point lead. The scoring flurry came amid another spurned goal chance for Clare as Conor McGrath shot into the side netting.

From there Jimmy Barry-Murphy's charges were never likely to relinquish their advantage. They will return to the Gaelic Grounds for the decider on July 14 to face a Limerick side managed by John Allen, who guided them to their last Munster title in 2006.